A recent joint summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has highlighted the ongoing challenges in achieving peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with disagreements persisting between the DRC and Rwanda.
The summit, held virtually on Monday, resulted in the appointment of five former heads of state – Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Kgalema Motlanthe (South Africa), Catherine Samba Panza (Central African Republic), and Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia) – as facilitators for the DRC crisis. They will appoint a mediator to replace outgoing mediator, Angolan President João Lourenço, whose efforts were acknowledged by DRC President Felix Tshisekedi.
The summit also adopted a report detailing measures to ensure security and stability in eastern DRC, based on a ministerial meeting held in Harare on March 17th.
The end of Angolan mediation coincides with Qatar’s emergence as a new diplomatic player, following a trilateral meeting in Doha between Presidents Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame, and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
President Tshisekedi reiterated the need to implement commitments made at the summit and UN Security Council Resolution 2773, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of foreign forces. While acknowledging the announced withdrawal of the M23 and Rwandan forces from Walikale, he stressed that other areas remain occupied. “No flag other than that of the DRC can fly on our territory,” he asserted.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe hailed the summit as a success, emphasizing the creation of a unified peace framework by merging the Luanda and Nairobi processes, excluding other external initiatives. He expressed confidence in the five facilitators’ ability to fulfill their mission.
Nduhungirehe also called for a dialogue between all parties, including the M23, to commence before the end of the month, under the auspices of the Kenyan and Zimbabwean presidents, to achieve a lasting solution to the 30-year conflict.
Meanwhile, the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) are closely monitoring the M23’s withdrawal and remain vigilant to prevent any escalation of violence on the ground.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA